• Submit entire specimen
• Sample should be free of air bubbles
• Specimen must be tested within 30 minutes of collection

Lithium heparinized (Li hep) syringe without needle

Time sensitive

Refrigerated - 30 minutes

• Vacutainer collection tubes submitted for blood gas analysis cannot be sent through the Pneumatic tube system (PTS)

• Improper labels (unlabeled or mislabeled)
• Hemolysis (some procedures)
• Improper anticoagulant or ratio
• Delay in transport
• Improper storage temperature affecting results
• Improper container
• Leaking container resulting in compromised specimen
• Quantity not sufficient (QNS)

Ion Selective Electrodes

See report

Blood gasmeasurements determine the acidity (pH) of the blood, and how much oxygen and carbon dioxide the blood contains. The pH of the blood depends on the relationship of the components of the bicarbonate buffer system – bicarbonate and carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is proportional to the dissolved carbon in the blood (0.03 × pCO₂).

The plasma bicarbonate concentration is controlled mainly by the kidneys and is affected by the end products of metabolism of cells. It is referred to as the metabolic component. pCO₂ is controlled by the rate of excretion of CO₂ by the lungs. It is referred to as the respiratory component.

A low pH (acidosis) may be due to a fall in the HCO₃^- (metabolic acidosis) or a rise in pCO₂ (respiratory acidosis). The body responds to a change in one component by producing a similar change in the other. This is called compensation, and is usually incomplete.